A DOG IN EXILE 69 



ing playing with the geese and intended to enjoy 

 himself to his heart's content. 



"Major! Major!" I cried, "you base ungrate- 

 ful dog ! Is this the way you repay me for all my 

 kindness, for befriending you when others spoke 

 evil of you, and made you keep at home, and 

 treated you with contemptuous neglect! Oh, you 

 wretched brute, how many glorious breakfasts 

 are you spoiling with those villainous teeth!" 



In vain I stormed and threatened, and told him 

 that I would never speak to him again, that I 

 would thrash him, that I had seen dogs shot for 

 less than what he was doing. I screamed his name 

 until I was hoarse, but it was all useless. Major 

 cared nothing for my shouts, and went on worry- 

 ing the geese. At length, when he grew tired of 

 his play, he coolly jumped into the water and 

 swam back to me, leaving the geese behind. I 

 waited for him, a stick in my hand, burning for 

 vengeance, and fully intending to collar and 

 thrash him well the moment he reached me. For- 

 tunately he had a long distance to swim, and be- 

 fore he reached land I began to reflect that if I 

 received him roughly, with blows, I would never 

 get the geese those three magnificent white and 

 maroon-colored geese that had cost me so much 

 labor to kill. Yes, I thought, it will be better to 

 dissemble and be diplomatic and receive him gra- 

 ciously, and then perhaps he will be persuaded to 

 go again and fetch the geese. In the midst of 

 these plans Major arrived, and sat down facing 



